Immunologic studies and clinical follow-up HBsAg-positive polyarteritis nodosa

Abstract

Three patients with hepatitis B surface antigen (HB_sAg)-positive polyarteritis nodosa (PAN) who are clinically well 41/2–51/2 years after their initial illnesses are described. In each case electron microscopic studies demonstrated the presence of aggregates of HB_sAg in both acute and quiescent phase sera. One patient had a lower circulating HB_sAg titer during the acute illness, while no change in serial HB_sAg titers was observed in the other two patients. Two of the three patients showed lymphocyte transformation to purified HB_sAg during the quiescent phase of the PAN. The role of immune complexes in the pathogenesis of HB_sAg-positive PAN is discussed.